One Punch

Iron Cloth · Second Layer: (1/800)

It broke through so quickly!

After practicing the Nourishing Body Skill, cultivating the Iron Cloth felt much easier.

Xie Yuan revealed a satisfied expression.

As the Iron Cloth broke through the first layer, Xie Yuan felt the skin all over his body become tougher.

He scratched it with a fingernail, and a faintly resilient texture came from his skin, like tree bark newly grown in spring. It was no longer soft and yielding like an ordinary person's.

The progress in skin tempering strengthened the skin across his entire body and also increased his strength. Xie Yuan could clearly feel that his power had grown considerably.

He tried lifting some firewood. Before, he could only carry eight or nine thick logs in a stack, but now he could pile up twelve or thirteen and carry them away in one go without effort.

"My strength has increased by more than thirty percent..."

Xie Yuan silently estimated it, then picked up an axe and casually swung it, chopping out a "whoosh, whoosh" of tearing wind.

The axe was far more powerful than before.

After feeling out his improvement, Xie Yuan smiled faintly.

"It feels like I've evolved. No wonder so many people in my previous life were obsessed with pumping iron, and so many people now devote themselves wholeheartedly to martial arts! It isn't all for material things—changes in oneself can bring joy as well."

Martial culture flourished greatly in this world. There were many tales of people casting aside worldly things and becoming intoxicated with the martial path, and Xie Yuan now understood some of it.

"When the Iron Cloth reaches completion at the third layer and I cultivate Copper Skin, that will be when I truly advance into a martial artist. Then, when facing Zhang Lao Da's threats, I won't be at someone else's mercy anymore.

"I also have the Nourishing Body Skill. That day won't be far off."

A few more days passed, and Xie Yuan gradually became accustomed to the increase in his realm and mastered his growing strength.

Taking advantage of those days, he hurried into the mountains to finish felling the remaining half of the Yellow Phoebe tree, then slowly hauled it out himself. After all, Boss Wan had already paid a deposit.

Traveling back and forth into the mountains took time, but Xie Yuan did not feel that it delayed his training.

For one thing, only by earning silver could he speed up his progress.

For another, whenever he grew tired from chopping wood, he would rest and train in the clearing shaded by that lush green tree.

For some reason, Xie Yuan felt far more energetic when he trained beneath that tree, and his progress grew faster too. Even if he trained there for only a while each day, his gains matched an hour or two outside.

"Maybe the negative oxygen ion concentration is high? No wonder even tigers like lying here."

Xie Yuan guessed.

But regardless, going back and forth like this made up for the cultivation time lost to traveling into the mountains.

Once the remaining half of the Yellow Phoebe tree had all been felled and he was ready to carry out the last of the lumber, Xie Yuan looked around, feeling quite pleased.

"Look at that—there are several more fine trees over there! This place is practically my treasure vault. My medicinal soups and meat meals will all depend on this place!"

After processing all the lumber, Xie Yuan borrowed a cart and pushed it to Boss Wan's home in Coiling Dragon Town.

When Boss Wan saw it, he was overjoyed.

"Hehehe, little brother, you truly keep your word. You delivered it so quickly! Good, good, now the customer will be satisfied!"

He immediately took out four taels of silver for Xie Yuan. The money and goods were exchanged fairly, and he even gave him an extra tael.

Xie Yuan cupped his hands and said,

"Boss, you're generous! Looks like you're going to make a fortune again."

"Hehehe, it's all because little brother supplied the goods so quickly. If the customer is satisfied, he'll certainly let this old man earn a little more. To be honest, this customer is Xu Yuanwai, the owner of the Coiling Dragon Restaurant. He wants phoebe wood for a set of furniture. I searched for so long before finally waiting for you, Xiao Xie! If you get good timber in the future, you must bring it to me first. The price is negotiable!"

So it was Xu Yang's father who wanted this wood.

Having money was great. Just a little demand leaking out could support someone else's martial arts training.

Xie Yuan sighed inwardly, pocketed the silver he had earned through hard work chopping trees, and went to the martial arts school to make an appearance.

Inside the Iron Clothes Gate.

Huo Da stood with his hands behind his back and said to Xie Yuan before him,

"Junior Brother Xie, practice for me. I'll give you some pointers."

His expression remained calm, but he felt somewhat awkward inside.

Xie Yuan had come less often lately. He had clearly taken the advice to nourish his body, so how could he have made any progress?

Disciples like Xie Yuan were not suited for martial arts at all. They should not have been accepted into the school in the first place—it harmed both teacher and student.

But Master had said, "Education knows no class distinctions." Well, actually, the martial arts school needed silver to keep developing too...

All he could do was put on a show of inspecting him every so often, to show that he was teaching seriously.

The martial arts school had been struggling lately...

Huo Da's thoughts drifted, and he was not actually watching Xie Yuan's movements at all.

Until Xie Yuan demonstrated the first set of moving stances.

With a "smack," his fist made a faint sound as it struck through the air.

Huo Da suddenly came back to himself. Looking at Xie Yuan, looking at the force that carried wind with his training, his eyes and mouth slowly opened wide.

"Junior Brother Xie, you actually broke through the first layer?"

Xie Yuan paused slightly and answered,

"Yes."

Huo Da immediately wore an incredulous expression.

This... with his physique, how was that possible?

Master had once suspected that even entering the school would be difficult for him, yet his progress was faster than many others'!

"Junior Brother Xie, you... um, what happened to your body?"

Huo Da's eyes shifted as he immediately saw that Xie Yuan's qi and blood had become much more abundant.

He certainly could not tell others about the Inner Strength, but the changes would be noticed sooner or later, so Xie Yuan had long prepared a response.

"I recently found an Old Ginseng plant in the mountains. After eating it, my body grew hot. Combined with the martial arts school's excellent medicine, I no longer feel tired when practicing martial arts."

Huo Da suddenly understood. He knew Xie Yuan was a woodcutter, and clearly felt that this was the only explanation.

"Junior Brother Xie is truly fortunate. Good! You practice very well, your comprehension is good, your progress is fast, and now your body has grown sturdier too. You're truly a fine seedling..."

His expression shifted. After patting Xie Yuan on the shoulder and offering some encouragement, he quickly entered the Inner Courtyard.

He had to tell Master about this.

After showing his face at the martial arts school, Xie Yuan was about to switch to another dose of medicinal soup and go home to train when he suddenly saw a tall, sturdy figure approaching with a group of people.

"Xie Yuan, I heard... you broke through?"

Xu Yang held his head high and asked, half believing and half doubting.

Xie Yuan frowned slightly and nodded.

"By luck."

How was this guy's news so well-informed?

He was practically a fly that could smell shit... ah, no, I can't put it like that.

Xu Yang's eyes immediately widened.

How was this Xie Yuan cultivating so quickly? Hadn't he been stuck without progress some time ago?

And he didn't have that many nourishing supplements to eat... could his talent really be that good?

Xu Yang pursed his lips secretly, a thick jealousy rising within him.

"Then good. I said that once you broke through, I would give you some pointers. Let's do it now."

Xu Yang said coldly.

Xie Yuan looked at him without replying. He set the medicine aside and walked straight to the center of the clearing.

Xu Yang froze for a moment.

He had never seen anyone react so readily when encountering him.

Wasn't he afraid of me?

Why did it feel like I was the challenger instead?

The nameless fire in Xu Yang's chest flared up.

"So arrogant! Senior Brother Xu, take him down!"

Xu Yang's lackeys also began shouting.

The commotion drew the attention of other disciples, and a crowd quickly gathered around the clearing. Tao Jielin and several others were among them.

"Oh no! How did Brother Xie end up clashing head-on with that bastard Xu Yang?"

Worry appeared on Tao Jielin's face.

With Xu Yang blocking him face-to-face, could Xie Yuan possibly come away unscathed?

No, I need to find Senior Brother Huo quickly!

But after looking around, Huo Da had gone into the courtyard. Where could he be found?

"It's over. Brother Xie is going to suffer terribly today..."

As more and more people gathered, Xu Yang gritted his teeth and sneered.

"Junior Brother, I already thought you were somewhat disrespectful toward your seniors. It seems I need to teach you a proper lesson today.

"Don't worry, I'll compensate you for your medicine."

He walked into the clearing and stood facing Xie Yuan. With a shout, he said,

"I'll let you strike first! Today, I'll make you submit!"

Hearing this, Xie Yuan made no unnecessary movements. He stepped forward and suddenly threw a charging punch at Xu Yang's chest.

Seeing this plain, unadorned punch, Xu Yang sneered and raised a hand to block it.

Fist and palm collided. Facing that seemingly ordinary fist, his expression abruptly changed.

He wanted to shout something, but it was already too late.

With a bang.

Xu Yang's entire body flew backward and rolled across the ground.